Close to 1,300 industry leaders packed Spark Arena in Auckland on Friday night for the gala, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon among a record contingent of Government Ministers in attendance, a strong signal of the sector’s growing economic clout.
Winning Hi-Tech Company of the Year following a record 300 entries, Tait Communications, founded 57 years ago, impressed the international judging panel by passing the half-billion-dollar revenue mark over the past year while continuing to expand into new countries through both organic growth and acquisition. Judges noted the rare feat of a well-established company that “continues to innovate on the global stage and move at speed.”
Spark Arena packed out as the New Zealand tech sector celebrated a record-breaking night at the 2026 NZ Hi-Tech Awards.
The night’s other standout was orchard technology company Hectre, which took out both the NZTE Most Innovative Hi-Tech Agritech Solution award and the GreenMount and Poutama Trust Hi-Tech Kamupene Māori o te Tau – Māori Company of the Year category.
Vend founder Vaughan Fergusson was inducted into the NZ Hi-Tech Hall of Fame as the 2026 Flying Kiwi, recognised not only for his entrepreneurial track record but also for his philanthropic work through the Pam Fergusson Charitable Trust and his mentoring of a generation of Kiwi tech founders.
NZ Hi-Tech Trust chair Marian Johnson said the awards reflected a sector hitting its stride despite a challenging economic backdrop. “We’re witnessing an industry that is continuing exceptional growth as well as innovation and matching it with the best in the world.”
The numbers back her up. Tech now contributes around NZ$24 billion to GDP, approximately eight percent of the national economy, employs more than 119,000 people, and generates over NZ$11.4 billion in exports annually, sitting behind only dairy and tourism as an export earner. Entries to this year’s awards reached record levels, judged by a panel of more than 80 local and international experts.
A double win for Hectre, named both Māori Company of the Year and Most Innovative Agritech Solution.
The full list of 2026 winners
- PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year: Tait Communications
- Tait Communications Flying Kiwi: Vaughan Fergusson
- 2040 Ventures Hi-Tech Startup Company of the Year: Kara Technologies
- ASX Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year: Calocurb
- Xero Hi-Tech Young Achiever: Lucy Turner (CTO and co-founder, VXT)
- Datacom Hi-Tech Inspiring Individual: Tim Young
- Consult Recruitment Best Contribution to the NZ Tech Sector: Oxygen Advisors
- Christchurch International Airport Best Hi-Tech Solution for the Public Good: HARK by 800 Trust (Highly Commended: EVolocity)
- Fujitsu Most Innovative Deep Tech Solution: MACSO (Highly Commended: Starboard Maritime Intelligence)
- NZTE Most Innovative Hi-Tech Agritech Solution: Hectre
- GreenMount and Poutama Trust Māori Company of the Year: Hectre
- NZX Most Innovative Hi-Tech Creative Technology Solution: Kitten Space Agency by RocketWerkz
- Duncan Cotterill Most Innovative Hi-Tech Software Solution: Partly
- Braemac Most Innovative Hi-Tech Manufacturer: Architectural Glass Products
- Kiwibank Most Innovative Hi-Tech Solution for a More Sustainable Future: TCS (Highly Commended: NZ AutoTraps)
Calocurb moves quickly on the back of its win
Emerging Company of the Year winner Calocurb has wasted no time capitalising on the spotlight, announcing a $10 million capital raise, led by Icehouse Ventures and set to close on 12 June, to accelerate its push into global GLP-1 markets.
The company’s natural hops-derived product, Amarasate®, was developed over 15 years with the help of a $20 million government-backed research programme and has been clinically shown to reduce cravings by 40 percent and calorie intake by 18 percent. With 90 percent of sales already coming from the United States, CEO Sarah Kennedy says the raise is about meeting demand for a natural alternative to synthetic GLP-1 injectables in a market projected to grow from US$34 billion today to US$254 billion by 2034. Expansion is also planned across Canada, Australia and the UK.
